ERIC Number: ED503583
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 18
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Measuring Up 2008: The State Report Card on Higher Education. Arkansas
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
The purpose of a state report card is to provide the general public and policymakers with information to assess and improve post secondary education in each state. "Measuring Up 2008" is the fifth in a series of biennial report cards that evaluates states in six overall performance categories: (1) Preparation for post-secondary education and training; (2) Participation; (3) Affordability; (4) Completion; (5) Benefits; and (6) Learning. Respective findings for Arkansas relative to best-performing states include: (1) Arkansas has made strides in preparing young people for college, though compared with other states its performance is only fair; (2) Despite improvements, college opportunities for young and working-age adults remain poor; (3) Higher education has become less affordable for students and their families; (4) Arkansas performs fairly well in awarding certificates and degrees relative to the number of students enrolled, but few students attain a bachelor's degree in a timely manner; (5) A very small proportion of residents have a bachelor's degree, substantially weakening the state economy; and (6) Like all states, Arkansas receives an "Incomplete" in Learning because there is not sufficient data to allow meaningful state-by-state comparisons. Based on previous state performance, the percentage of young adults in Arkansas who earn a high school diploma has increased slightly since the early 1990s; college enrollment of young adults in Arkansas has improved substantially since the early 1990s; college enrollment of working-age adults, relative to the number of residents without a bachelor's degree, has increased slightly; the share of family income, even after financial aid, needed to pay for college has increased, although Arkansas is the best-performing state in the share of income needed to pay for public two-year colleges; the number of undergraduate credentials and degrees awarded in Arkansas, relative to the number of students enrolled, has remained stable since the early 1990s; and the percentage of residents who have a bachelor's degree has increased slightly. In addition to information included in the summary report, the full report includes international comparisons, state-by-state 2008 grades and key indicators, frequently-asked questions answers, and available resources. (Contains 11 figures and 9 tables.) [For National Report, see ED503494. For Arkansas state summary, see ED503508.]
Descriptors: Higher Education, Academic Achievement, Academic Persistence, Access to Education, College Preparation, Comparative Analysis, Educational Improvement, Educational Indicators, Enrollment, Graduation Rate, Outcomes of Education, Paying for College, Student Costs, State Norms, Tables (Data), Measurement, Educational Assessment, Adult Literacy, Global Approach, Demography, National Surveys, Education Work Relationship, College Attendance, Competition
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. 152 North Third Street Suite 705, San Jose, CA 95112. Tel: 408-271-2699; Fax: 408-271-2697; e-mail: center@highereducation.org; Web site: http://www.highereducation.org/reports/reports.shtml
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: Community; Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education
Identifiers - Location: Arkansas
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: National Assessment of Educational Progress
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A